Steel hook chains are still widely used in agricultural processing and harvesting conveyors. Such conveyors are made from interconnected transverse links having outer ends hooked to one another to form a conveyor structure. Hook chains have now been supplanted in many applications by belt chains, in which the outer ends of spaced transverse conveyor links are secured along flexible supporting belts.
In modern belt chains, the links are formed of steel and the belts are formed of rubber traction belting including parallel plies of directionally woven fabric vulcanized with layers of rubber. The outer ends of the links are typically secured to the belting by rivets that pass through the belting and an opposed retaining plate. Because of the high stresses to which such conveyors are subjected during use, the construction of the belt chain is confined to factory operations. Field repair of such belt chains is limited to replacement.
The present invention has been designed to facilitate assembly and repair of belt chains without requiring factory operations. The user can replace any desired link or a belt without the specialized equipment currently necessary for attaching the links by use of steel rivets.